MotoGP Performance Riding New 2nd Edition!Official MotoGP book, the second edition of this practical guide to motorcycle racing technique, aimed at racing and track day enthusiasts at all levels, has been expanded to include extra information as well as many new photographs and up-to-date quotes from MotoGP stars

.

The Making of the Fast Dates Calendar& World Championships
on DVD!

Friends of Laguna Seca looks to have won the right to manage track, maybe, probably, it seems
MONTEREY COUNTY BOARD KEEPS OTHER TWO CONTENDERS HANGING ON IN CASE THINGS DON’T WORK OUTReprinted from Autoweek, October 15th 2016 - The non-profit Friends of Laguna Seca is on the way to managing the storied track and bringing it back to fiscal health. Unless, that is, the Monterey County Board of Supervisors decides it wants to go with two other groups vying for management control of the race facility.

Specifically, Friends of Laguna Seca won the right to “negotiate initially” with the county for a concession agreement. The county board would have to approve any agreement that comes out of the negotiations. If things don’t go well in the concession agreement process, then the board can pick up with either of the other two groups that had turned in proposals. Those groups are Chris Pook’s (he who made the Long Beach Grand Prix into a great event) World Automotive Championship of California, and the existing managers, Sports Car Racing Association of the Monterey Peninsula (or SCRAMP, which has been running the track since it was built in 1957). SCRAMP bid in partnership with International Speedway Corp. ISC owns and operates 13 tracks, from Daytona to Watkins Glen.

The decision to change track management came out of a civil grand jury report released last July that said the Monterey County Parks Department and SCRAMP were not managing the facility well. If you wanted to cut SCRAMP some slack, you could point out that the troubles date back to 2008, when a recession hit the country and many businesses took a hit. Nonprofit race tracks were among those suffering the effects.

The Friends of Laguna Seca includes local racer and race car restoration and sales expert Bruce Canepa and motorsports entrepreneur Gordon McCall, who puts on The Quail A Motorsports Gathering, The Quail Motorcycle Gathering and the big kickoff event to car week popularly known as The Jet Party, held at Monterey Airport. We’d be happy with those guys running things. Friends leadership also includes vintage racer Jonathan Feiber, Porsche Club and kart racer Ross Merrill, historic racer, karter and food industry executive Thomas Minnich, racer and realtor Warren “Ned” Spieker Jr. and motorsport executive Lauri Eberhart.

On its website, Friends president Ross Merrill said, “We are committed to managing Laguna Seca with fiscal responsibility and for the benefit of our community. We’re driven by a passion for motorsports, a dedication to our community, and a desire to transform nearly six decades of renowned racing legacy into a new engine for our local economy. Ultimately, our aim is to restore the raceway’s former glory.”

The Friends proposal includes a 25-year commitment to rebuild the LSRA complex and implement a new business model that will include:

– A $50 million dollar capital improvement plan with $25 million invested in the first five years
– Establishing a profitable mix of events that will use all the assets of the LSRA
– Maximizing sponsorship opportunities and race track rentals
– Developing premium camping areas and an upgraded rifle/pistol range
– Enhancing the end-user experience facility-wide
– Bringing new events and premium programs to increase utilization within current restrictions, taking particular care to respect neighbors on Highway 68.

We wish them all the best and offer them this item of advice to begin with: Don’t be afraid to call it Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca a couple of times, just to keep your naming rights sponsor happy. But they already knew that.

Monterey, CA , May 15th - Former adversaries SCRAMP and the International Speedway Corporation (ISC) have come together to file a joint bid seeking the next contract to serve as promoters for Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.
"SCRAMP has reached an agreement with International Speedway Corporation to work jointly on a response to Monterey County's Request for Proposal process for long-term concession management of Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca," SCRAMP said in a release.

"ISC's national scale and financial expertise combined with SCRAMP's operational knowledge and many local charitable relationships create a unique synergy providing for the facility's long-term stability. We believe strongly that together we can position Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca for success in today's competitive racing environment."

SCRAMP, which has promoted and run the track since 1957, and began reporting to the Monterey Board of Supervisors since 1974, came under fire from the county last year as the board sought a new promoter for the renowned facility. ISC came forward as an interested party, but soon withdrew from the board's search process.
ISC, which is part of NASCAR's empire, is said to have contacted SCRAMP after exiting the process last year, and from those conversations, a new working relationship has been established.
"It is a 'best of both worlds' situation," a SCRAMP representative told RACER.

The county signed a new deal with SCRAMP for 2016 and relaunched another search with the stated goal of inking a long-term contract for 2017 and beyond. SCRAMP has been one of a handful of potential promoters involved in the bidding process, and on Tuesday, the board approved a new process that would not require the collection of formal submissions from all parties prior to evaluating their merits and choosing the best from the group.

With the board now allowing direct negotiation with interested parties, the tenure and local expertise offered by SCRAMP, and strength and reputation of ISC, could present the best combined package for the county to consider.
A final decision on the track's future promoter is expected by October.

NEW! FAST 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014 ... Digital Calendar Magazine Yearbooks
the Bikes, the Builders, the Riders, the Kittens,
the Calendar Bike Show, the World Superbike races
all the Calendar Pictures, and Special Features...
We take you around the World for the making of the
2015 FastDates.com Calendars Now in Members Corner

All Three Editions of this new 2017 FastDates.com Calendars feature our official SBK Fast Dates World Superbike
Calendar Kittens
Sara Horvath, Alena Pyshnaya from the Ukraine, and Alena Sovostikova from Russia, who spent the summer in America with Calendar photographer Jim Gianatsis to shoot and work at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca USA World and AMA Superbike, and the LA Calendar Motorcycle Show. Follow the action behind the scrnes at the link above, and in our FAST 2017 Digital Magazine Yearbook in Members Corner.

FAST 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014 Digital Calendar Magazines
Go Behind the Scenes for the Making of the FastDates.com Calendars!Each year's FastDates.com Calendar Digital Yearbook features 120 pages of exciting hi-resolution digital photography that takes you with us behind the scenes to our photo shoots at SBK World and AMA Superbike, the LA Calendar Motorcyle Show, and in our photo studio. You'll meet the beautiful Calendar Kitttens in sexy biography pictorials, the top Factory Racers and Custom Bike Builders,and see detailed photo features on the top calendar and race bikes. Take a track day with World Superbike Champion Troy Bayliss at Misano, take an Edelsweiss Ducati World Superbike tour of the Ducati Factory & Museum and across Italy, ride a Vespa scooter around Paris and party at the Crazy Horse and the Moulon Rouge. Hang with beautiful teen rock star Taylor Momsen of the Pretty Reckless. Did we forget anything?

Oh yes, and you'll see every page in the new Fast Dates, Garage Girls, Iron & Lace Calendars!

The Los Angeles 6th Street Bridge RememberedOne of the many features in the new FAST 2017 Calendar Digital Yearbook available for viewing now in FastDates.com Members Corner

Jessica Harbour

Courtney Riggs

Fast Dates Calendar Kittens Jessica and Courtney
Featured at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca
SBK World & MotoAmerica
National Superbike Race Weekend July 7-9thFeb 15th 2017 - FastDates.com Calendar publisher and photographer Jim Gianatsis is excited to announce that one of our favorite Calendar Kittens, spokes model and Rockstar Energy Drink girl Jessica Harbour from Huntington Beach, CA, has been selected to return with FastDates.com to Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Monterey, CA,
for the 2017 SBK World & MotoAmerica National Superbike Race Weekend July 7-9th to shoot the next edition of the Fast Dates World Superbike Swimsuit Calendar and serving as an official SBK World Superbike Podium and Umbrella Girl. Jessica previously shot for Jim with all the top factory race bikes at the 2013 Laguna Seca WSBK round and served as an official SBK girl that weekend as well, with her pictures appearing in the 2015 Fast Dates Calendar. Jessica has continued to work at Laguna Seca WSBK the last years as well, both as an SBK and factory race team umbrella girl.

Joining Jessica
the July 7-9th Laguna Seca race weekend for both the Calendar Shoot and SBK Umbrella Girl duties will be a new FastDates.com Calendar Kitten rookie, fellow Rockstar Girl Courtney Riggs from Sacramento California. Both Courtney and Jessica are represented by the modeling agency Umbrella Girls USA, and work together as Rockstar Girls at the 2017 AMA Supercross Championship rounds across America.

The following weekend of July 15-17th in Los Angeles, Jessica and Courtney will again be working with FastDates.com at the annual LA Calendar Motorcycle Show, with these beautiful Calendar Kittens hosting the Calendar Show with Jim Gianatsis, and shooting with winning motorcycles for the next Iron & Lace Custom Motorcycle PinUp Calendar. For more of the beautiful FastDates.com Calendar Kittens, the LA Calendar Motorcycle Show and to order the Calendars go to - http://www.FastDates.com

The 2017 SBK World Superbike Factory Teams - Click to Enlarge

SBK World Superbike 2017 Season PreviewWednesday, February 22nd 2017 - Australian summer sun awaits the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship, as the paddock heads to the legendary Phillip Island. Set on the glorious Southern Island, the 4.4km flowing circuit is a favourite of many riders, and doesn’t take fools on lightly as it twists over the hills for 12 corners of pure speed and racing action. The Yamaha Finance Australian Round promises to provide anticipation and thrill as the lights go out on the 2017 season.

2016 back to back World Champion Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team) had the perfect opening to his championship defence Down Under last year, as he took the double victory in two stunning races; a sign of things to come for the season ahead for the Northern Irishman. Taking his first win at the Island back in 2015, Rea has a meticulous pace around the circuit and following a strong winter of testing he will hope to iron out any final issues at the Official Test at the start of the week. The last time the 30 year old stood on the top of the podium was back in September in Germany, so he’s hungry for a taste of the Prosecco.

Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) will be hoping to hit the ground running in 2017 and following a tough winter testing regime, the Yorkshireman will be heading out of pit lane with a point to prove and one person on his mind to beat – his team-mate. An act of true sportsmanship was shown in the final race of 2016 at Losail International Circuit which meant Sykes could secure second position overall in the championship, however the gloves are off once more. The 31 year old holds the pole position record in Australia, but is yet to take that all important first win at the track. Sykes’ last race win was in Race 2 at Laguna Seca back in July, with just six podium finishes following that. 2017 brings the Kawasaki ZX-10RR and new challenges, but he’s certainly not one to give up without a fight.

Coming off the back of a stunning run of form at the end of last season, Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) is looking like the man to beat heading into 2017. Making no secret of his blisteringly fast pace aboard the Panigale R, Davies will be working on the base setting he has secured from testing into 2017, with the hope of dominating the field as he did at the back end of last season. Taking six wins out of the last six races, the Welshman is on a winning streak but is yet to take the win at Phillip Island, despite Ducati being the most successful team at the circuit. Confident the ‘best is yet to come’, Davies and Ducati have made their aim for 2017 clear; to take the title.

Returning Italian Marco Melandri (Aruba.it Racing Ducati) will be one to ruffle some feathers this season, and so far his testing times prove he will have the pace to fight up at the front. With 19 WorldSBK wins to his name, Melandri has over 17 years of experience around Phillip Island from racing in MotoGP™ to the WorldSBK paddock; therefore he will certainly be one to watch when the lights go out for Race 1. With podium finishes in Australia in WorldSBK under his belt, he will be able to work alongside his team-mate in order to get the best pace possible out of his Ducati.

Challenges lie ahead for Stefan Bradl and Nicky Hayden (Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team), as they take on the new Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade SP2 around the testing and relentless Phillip Island circuit. German rookie Bradl is making the sometimes difficult step across from MotoGP™, and with a brand new bike in the mix he will make the most of visiting a circuit he is familiar with. Putting in some solid testing time aboard his new machine, Bradl’s first feelings are positive and with a steady set of results here in the past, it will be a learning curve. Heading into his second year in the series, Nicky Hayden will be looking to improve on what he and his team learnt last season. Taking a victory in his debut season, the Kentucky Kid will be returning to the circuit for the third time in the last year following a visit back to his Repsol Honda machine last year. With a steady run of form on the Island, frequent top ten finisher Hayden will be keen to see what the Fireblade can do.

Taking on the twists and turns of the famous Phillip Island, the newly structured Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK team are a force to be reckoned with for 2017, and Australia is the perfect place for Alex Lowes and Michael van der Mark to start. Alex Lowes is heading into his fourth season in the series and is looking to impress, as the YZF R1 has made some solid steps over the winter. Since Qatar the team have been working hard on their machines, and Lowes is ready to bring the fight and to secure that all important debut podium with Yamaha. Michael van der Mark has made the move to the blue corner and is feeling confident aboard the machine so far. In his debut WorldSBK round at the Island in 2015, the young Dutchman got a steady start and last season he was able to secure two podium finishes, meaning he has set the bar high as he goes Down Under in 2017.

Lone MV Agusta rider Leon Camier (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) seems to have struggled at Phillip Island in the past, and with minimal testing throughout the winter it may be a tough weekend for Camier. However the all important Official Test will be a true eye opener for the Brit and his team. Into his eighth full season in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship the lanky Brit continues to make big progress with his Italian squad, working up to securing solid top seven finishes throughout 2016 and his is no doubt hungry for more.

Milwaukee make the switch to Aprilia for 2017, now known as Milwaukee Aprilia. Signing impressive rookie Lorenzo Savadori and WorldSBK veteran Eugene Laverty – both with experience aboard the Aprilia - the British squad will be taking their new RSV4 RF to new heights for 2017. Australian sun beckons for the pair as they look to take on the ever popular circuit. Following a strong test at the beginning of the season, they are set to cause ructions through the field and with the new grid rules for 2017 coming into force this year, it may benefit the satellite squad.

New Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team unveiled at Hangar-7February 7th 2016 - The famous Red Bull Hangar-7 facility in Salzburg, Austria, provided the stunning backdrop for the unveiling of the Red Bull Honda World Superbike team, which will charge into the 2017 WorldSBK season with Nicky Hayden and Stefan Bradl riding the brand-new Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade SP2.

Centre stage were the two riders and their machines sporting the world-famous Red Bull logo and colours. Representatives from the international media, Honda Motor Europe, sponsors, technical partners and WorldSBK organiser Dorna attended the much-anticipated event which heralded an exciting collaboration between Honda and Red Bull.

The event was watched live by fans and motorsport enthusiasts around the world, who tuned in to the action via the new www.RedBull-Honda.com website and the HondaProRacing Facebook Page. Red Bull, the world’s leading energy drink company and for decades a key player in motorsports and action-sports, now enters the World Superbike paddock for the first time as a team title partner. Taking the Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team colours to the track on board the all-new 2017 Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade SP2 machine will be the World Champion duo of Nicky Hayden and Stefan Bradl.

Crowned MotoGP™ World Champion in 2006 with Honda when he was in the Red Bull stable, Hayden had a very positive rookie WorldSBK season last year, with one race win and four podium finishes. Stefan Bradl, Moto2 World Champion in 2011 and long-time Red Bull athlete, has already shown great speed during winter testing on the Fireblade, and is now looking forward to this exciting new challenge.

2017 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship Calendar & Entry ListNovember 28th 2016 - A remarkable year for Kawasaki and KRT riders Jonathan Rea and Tom Sykes was rounded off by a 1-2 finish in the Riders’ Championship, as Sykes retained his overall second place with a second place finish. He came home just ahead of Rea after a shortened ten-lap race two at Losail. Jonathan Rea had won the championship itself the day before but the final points scores ended up Rea 498 and Sykes 447 after the very last race of 13-round season.

Jonthan Rea and his new Kawasaki ZX10R tops the
Ducati's of Melandri and Davies at Phillip Island pre Opening Round TestsPhillip Island, Tuesday Feb 21st, 2017 - Basking in the summer sun at the stunning Phillip Island Grand Prix circuit, MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship riders were able to take advantage of the four hours they have out on track, following a disrupted day on Monday before the opening round of the season commences in three days time.

Heading out in the early session on Tuesday morning, cooler track temperatures greeted riders and it was the Kawasaki Racing Team who were the first to lead the way of the two hour session. Whilst the fastest man from day one – Xavi Fores (Barni Racing Team) – crept back up to the top in the opening half hour of the session.

Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team) ended the session on top, with a lap time of 1.30.545 and was 0.258s ahead of the rest of the field as the reigning champion led the majority of the session. Marco Melandri (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) was one position behind Rea, following a steady opening day. Melandri was just one position ahead of his team-mate, Davies who ended in third position.

Marco Melandri was 2nd quickest with his new Ducati ride.

Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) put in 38 laps of the circuit and began to iron out issues from yesterday, despite suffering a crash in the closing four minutes of the session the Yorkshireman went back to the box unharmed.

Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team-mates Alex Lowes and Michael van der Mark had a varied opening session; Lowes put in strong race simulations aboard his YZF-R, finishing in eighth overall and a lap time of 1.31.692. Whilst van der Mark struggled to make it into the top ten and crashed towards the end of the session this morning, and this afternoon he made steady progress with his R1 – his time a 1.31.936.

The Australian summer weather stuck around for the afternoon session, and riders continued to take advantage of the track time following a difficult opening day of the test, however some were unable to improve on their times of this morning.

Rea finished on the top spot overall on day two, spending day two unbeatable aboard the ZX-10RR. However he faced stiff competition from Melandri, as the Italian put in an impressive 105 laps throughout the two days, and his best overall lap time was a 1.30.575. Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) completed the test in third spot – his lap time a 1.30.893 as he was just six laps shy of completing 100 in the final Official Test of the pre-season.

Jonathan Rea, stated: “Now we have picked the bike we will use for race weekend and put the package together. I have had such a good off-season; I feel I have done a really good job with my personal condition and I have managed to stay healthy so far. Every winter test we’ve done we have been working step-by-step. We understood at the end of last year, when we made a huge change for Qatar, I could race the bike again. So during the winter tests it was not about re-inventing the wheel. Already the ZX-10RR has given us some more potential. We were already at a high level. This winter was about building the package, building momentum and confidence. Now I feel like I have it so I just hope we can stay safe and bag some big points at the start of the new season.”

Sykes was able to take the fourth spot overall in the test with a final lap time of 1.31.044, making him just under half a second shy of the top spot. Monday’s fastest man Fores ended in the top five – setting his fastest lap time in the morning session on day two.

Leon Camier (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) continues his strong and steady progress throughout the testing, as he ties up his short winter testing with a top six finish and an overall lap time of 1.31.293. Lorenzo Savadori (Milwaukee Aprilia) was another rider to have a strong day, taking a top seven finish with a lap time of 1.31.449.

Nicky Hayden and team Ten Kate team got a late start in developing the new Red Bull Honda CBR1000RR.

Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team continue to learn and understand how their new Honda Fireblade SP2 works, and the pair ended the test in the bottom half of the timing sheets and were almost 1.5s behind Rea. Nicky Hayden finished day two in 14th position, whilst Stefan Bradl in 19th with a lap time of 1.32.796.

Jordi Torres (Althea BMW Racing Team) was able to take a top nine position in Phillip Island, his lap time of 1.31.673 putting in 88 laps around the circuit, as German team-mate Markus Reiterberger struggled on the final day, but was still able to salvage a 15th position finish.

The final winter test concluded at Phillip Island this week, as the 2017 season kicks off on Friday 24th February with flags being waved for FP1 at 9.45am LT (GMT +11).

Both race finishes were closer than this, with Rea (1) retaking the lead from (7) Davies in the next to last lap and beating him across the line by just a few feeet.

Phillip Island Double Gives Jonthan Rea 40 Superbike Wins
Photos by Kel Edge and Team Media
Phillip Island, Australia , 26 Feb 26th 2017-
Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team) joined an exclusive club with his 40th career FIM Superbike World Championship race win today while Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) joined the leading group in the race for a time, but finished sixth. In the championship points Rea leads with a perfect 50 while Sykes has 26, and is ranked third overall.

In warm and sunny conditions the second Phillip Island race saw a small piece of history being made on two main fronts. First of all race one front row winner Rea and third placed Sykes had to start race two from the third row on their Ninja ZX-10RRs, under the new championship regulations. Sykes took over seventh grid place and Rea ninth, in another new twist to the 2017 season. Then, Rea secured his historic 40th race win at the end of the 22-laps.

Rea, able to get into the lead as early as lap six despite starting from the third row, raced for the win from then on, holding off Chaz Davies over the finish line for the second time in two days, this time by a margin of 0.025 seconds. Jonathan has now won five of the six most recent Phillip Island races, on a Kawasaki.

This latest race win gave Rea his magical 40th career victory; a level only reached and then later passed by three other riders in WorldSBK history. They are Carl Fogarty, Troy Bayliss and Noriyuki Haga. Rea, the 2015 and 2016 champion, also scored the Superpole win on Saturday for an almost perfect opening weekend of the new campaign on the new Ninja ZX-10RR.

Sykes, the WorldSBK champion in 2013, had more of an issue getting to the front group in race two, having to fight his way through once he had passed some slower riders and using up too much of his available tyre life in the process. He finished sixth today, 4.781 seconds from the win but having taken his second good result of the opening race weekend and third place overall in the points.

In the Manufacturers’ Standings, Kawasaki leads from Ducati 50 to 40.

Jonathan Rea, stated: “Phillip Island was really rewarding and to win two last lap battles here means a lot because it is a such a hard track to lead from the front on. Whilst that 40th career victory means a lot it is more important to put a good score on the board for round one. When I went through to clean air in the lead with three or four to go I was worried that the other riders may be learning too much about the bike. I had to be sure just to change the lines up a little bit but on the last lap, from Siberia corner onwards, I just put my head down and completed a very good back section. I covered my line into the MG hairpin and got myself tucked in as well as I could on the front straight. There was not only one area where we found some pace in the winter tests; we generally just polished the bike. Nothing magic happened but I feel good about this bike. The way things have changed a little bit have suited me. I can ride less on the limit and we have more tyre left to fight with at the end of races, compared to last year.”

First day of 2017 action in Australia sees Davies, Rea and Fores in Free Practice Top Three
Friday, 24 February 2017 - Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) was Friday’s fastest participant at the season-opening Yamaha Finance Australian Round, with the Welshman topping the combined FP1 and FP2 timesheets courtesy of a 1’30.189 best time from the morning. Defending World Champion Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team) was the second quickest rider on Friday at Phillip Island courtesy of a 1’30.255 lap in FP1 and he was the fastest rider in the later session.

Xavi Fores (BARNI Racing Team) put in a good performance to end the day third fastest, also courtesy of his best FP1 effort, a 1’30.486, putting him just ahead of Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) - who was fourth and trailed Davies by just under four tenths. On his return to WorldSBK Marco Melandri (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) was fifth quickest overall, thanks to his 1’30.627 lap registered in the afternoon outing.

Savadori provided the most spectacular moment of the day, surviving a huge wobble at turn 11 in FP1.
The likes of Eugene Laverty (Milwaukee Aprilia) and Michael van der Mark (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team), meanwhile, will participate in Tissot Superpole 1 on Saturday having ended Friday 11th and 12th respectively.

Earlier in the day FP1 had been red flagged after less than ten minutes of action after an engine fault for Leon Camier (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) briefly left an oil leak on track, though the action soon got back underway. Camier ended Friday in 13th place on the combined timesheets.

Rookie Randy Krummenacher (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) was 14th best and ran off track just over 15 minutes before the end of FP2, quickly returning to the asphalt after his excursion onto the grass.

Likewise newcomer Stefan Bradl (Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team) ran off track at turn 4 at one stage in his first official WorldSBK session in FP1 and the German ended up 16th overall.

Alex De Angelis (Pedercini Racing SC-Project) crashed at turn 11 but walked away from the incident late in the afternoon session and was Friday’s 15th fastest man. Ayrton Badovini (Grillini Racing Team) was also a late crasher in FP2 and concluded Friday in 17th place on the timesheets.

At Phillip Island on Saturday Rea was the top man in Tissot Superpole 2,
with Sykes and Melandri also on the front row
Superpole Saturday Morning Feb 25th - Under clear blue skies at the season-opening Yamaha Finance Australian Round the first Tissot Superpole 2 of 2017 concluded with defending World Champion Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team) on pole courtesy of a stunning 1’29.573 best lap – a new lap record at Phillip Island. Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) and Marco Melandri (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) also feature on the front row having registered best laps respectively +0.032s and +0.161s off pole man Rea’s record pole time.

The second row will comprise Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati), Alex Lowes (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team) and Lorenzo Savadori (Milwaukee Aprilia), with all of the top five under last year’s pole record of 1’30.020 set by Sykes. Davies had a big scare midway through the 15-minute shootout as he had a huge wobble and ran offline at turn 1. Jordi Torres (Althea BMW Racing Team), Xavi Fores (BARNI Racing Team) and Leon Camier (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) are on the third row.

Michael van der Mark (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team), Nicky Hayden (Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team) and Markus Reiterberger (Althea BMW Racing Team) will line up on the fourth row. Camier and Van der Mark were the two riders to have made it through from Tissot Superpole 1.

The likes of Eugene Laverty (Milwaukee Aprilia), Randy Krummenacher (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) and Stefan Bradl (Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team) were unable to graduate it through from Tissot Superpole 1 and will therefore line up on the fifth row in 13th, 14th and 15th respectively. Laverty had provisionally been in a position to make it through to Tissot Superpole 2 but a crash after just one flying lap saw him fall out of contention.

Jonathan Prevails in a 7 Rider Battle for the Win
RACE 1: Saturday Feb 25th 2017 -Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit was the backdrop for a stunning first race of the 2017 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship, as Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team) took a superb win, to start the season in style. Rea beat Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) by just 0.042s across the line as the pair battled hard to the last corner, with Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) also on the podium.

An enthralling race was the perfect way to start the 30th season of the WorldSBK championship, with Rea, Davies, Sykes, Alex Lowes (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team) and Marco Melandri (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) all taking turns in the lead. Lowes briefly led mid-race and would eventually finish fourth, crossing the line just over a second behind Rea and just 0.032s behind Sykes. Melandri made a spectacular return to the championship in his first WorldSBK race since 2014, taking the lead off the line and running at the front for several laps only for his day to end in frustration after a crash at the Southern Loop with 8 laps to go.

An excellent showing from Leon Camier (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) saw the Englishman cross the line three seconds behind race winner Rea to complete an all British top five. A solid start to the season by Spaniards Xavi Fores (BARNI Racing Team) and Jordi Torres (Althea BMW Racing Team) saw them take sixth and seventh respectively.

With the new grid format introduced for 2017, we will see Alex Lowes start from pole position whilst Jonathan Rea will be battling from ninth. Race 2 at 3pm local time (+11 GMT) on Sunday at the Yamaha Finance Australian Round will see Rea looking to make it a double victory weekend, but his rivals will be pushing him hard at every turn.

1. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team): "To start the season with 25 points is exactly what I needed to do, especially after the end of last season played out and hopefully we can work step by step. It was a strange race, it should have been much faster. But we did what we had to do in the end to get 25 points.”

2. Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati): “It was important to get this first race out the way and get some good points on the board. I tried a bit of a different strategy and it didn’t quite work out for the win. In the end I knew it was going to come down to myself and Jonny; but with this being one of our tougher tracks it’s hard to get the strategy right. We’ll have a little think for tonight and see if we can go one better tomorrow.”

3. Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team): “I have to say to finish on the podium, not far behind those two in Phillip Island is a big positive for me. That’s only the third podium I’ve had in this circuit, so it gives me a lot of confidence going forward. I had a couple of warnings very early on and I was able to settle down, but ultimately I did an acceptable race. A podium at Phillip Island is my first target and I hope we can improve on it tomorrow.”

Race Two acton with Davies(7) leading Rae (1),
Fores (12) on the Barni Ducati. Melandri (33), Lowes (22) and Sykes(66).

Rea Stuns to Hold Off Daqvies at the Line AgainRACE TWO: Sunday, 26 February 2017 - The season-opening Yamaha Finance Australian Round at Phillip Island saw Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team) wrap up a double victory from ninth position, in a superb Sunday race. Starting from a re-shuffled grid, Aruba.it Racing – Ducati pair Chaz Davies and Marco Melandri were also on the podium.

A stunning last lap battle between four riders for podium positions saw Rea come out on top again, with Davies a close second (+0.025s), whilst Melandri rode excellently for third (+0.249s) and Alex Lowes (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team) collected more good points in fourth having led the race early on.

Xavi Fores (BARNI Racing Team) finished fifth, whilst Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) ended up at the back of a group of six riders who had been battling for the podium positions.

Behind that front group, it was Michael van der Mark (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team) and Leon Camier (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) who crossed the line in seventh and eighth respectively for a good haul of points, whilst Lorenzo Savadori (Milwaukee Aprilia) and Eugene Laverty (Milwaukee Aprilia) also registered top ten results.

After his solid fourth in Race 1 on Saturday Lowes made an excellent start from the head of the reshuffled Race 2 grid to lead the way in the opening stages, with Laverty and Fores also getting in the mix early on. Rea soon came through from ninth though, making light work of the challenge of the new regulations for 2017 which sees the grid reshuffled on Sunday further to the Race 1 results.

Rea took over in the lead with 17 laps to go, as Davies also soon came through to contest the lead, with Lowes fighting to stay with the Welshman and Rea for a podium result.

Melandri emerged as a contender in the second half of the race, having steadily fought his way to the front from tenth on the grid after his WorldSBK comeback on Saturday ended in a disappointing DNF. The Italian was delighted to return to the podium at the end of Race 2 as he kept Rea and Davies in his sights.

The WorldSBK riders will be back in action at the second round of the season, the Motul Thai Round, over the 10th-12th March weekend.

P1 . Jonathan Rea - Kawasaki Racing Team - “I’m so happy because to win a last lap battle here is hard, but to do it two times here and with tactical racing, it’s so hard. I just wanted to come here and start on my way, before yesterday I hadn’t won before the summer break in 2016 so it’s nice to start my campaign and with 50 points and two wins.”

P2. Chaz Davies - Aruba.it Racing - Ducati - “It was tight in both races and this one was even closer I reckon. Everybody had a little go at taking the lead and tried to break away at the front, but its near-on impossible here at Phillip Island so I just ran my own race. I tried to break away with a couple of laps to go but it wasn’t going to happen. We gave away a lot of points here last year, so to take 40 points at what is not one of our favourite tracks is good and look forward to the next one.”

P3. Marco Melandri - Aruba.it Racing - Ducati - “It’s been a very good weekend, race one was difficult race two was even more difficult because I came from the back, which meant I was pushing the tyre a bit too much. In the last few laps I didn’t have enough grip to try and fight for a win, but those two guys were a bit stronger than me today. To be back on the podium in my first Round after a year and a half off is good.”

Revealed! The 2017 Ducati 215hp / 368 lb 1299cc Superleggera Bologna Italy November 5th 2017 - Ducati has revealed a new limited edition lightweight version of their latest big bore 1299cc V-Twin Superbike, the 1299 Superlegera. The previous2014 year limited edition 11999 Superlegera retailed for USD $68,000, so expected this new model to be priced even higher with the addition of its Carbon Fiber Airbox Subframe to attach the front forks, and new lightweight carbon fiber wheels. This is a pure Collector's bike as the larger 1299cc engine dispersant and carbon fibre wheels make it ineligible for FIM / AMA racing. It should also be noted the Superquadro engine performance upgrades which premiered in the 2014 model year 1199cc Superleggera became available the following year in the 2015 homologation 1199R Superbike for $33,000.

Valentino Rossi's new 2017 Yamaha MotoGP bike with the new "Hidden" aero winglets now inside the bodywork as required by the 2017 FIM rules.

FIM 2017 MotoGP World Championhip, PreSeason Testing Phillip Ilsand

Viñales Again Dominates on Yamaha in MotoGP Tests on the IslandThe fastest man at every pre season test

Phillip Island, Friday Feb 17th 2017 - New kid on the Yamaha block Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) has done it again at Phillip Island, going even faster on Day 3 to top the timesheets once more. Fastest on Day 2 and fastest during testing at Sepang and Valencia, the Spaniard has hit the ground running in his new MotoGP™ home – ending the Australia test ahead of the Repsol Honda Team: Marc Marquez in second and Dani Pedrosa in third.

Maverick Viñales / Movistar Yamaha MotoGP is the fastest kid on the block.

Viñales put in a 1:28.549 early in his impressive day’s work; a time unthreatened until the final flag. Completing 101 laps and able to put in 1:28 laps in a row, the Spaniard also managed to rake in the laptimes in the 1:29 bracket in another ominous show of form. His teammate – nine-time World Champion Valentino Rossi – ended Day 3 in P11 and 0.921s in arrears. The “Doctor” did a best of 1:29.470 in the third session, but is bumped down to P12 on combined times.

The closest chasers to the portentous pace of Viñales were Repsol Honda duo Marc Marquez and Dani Pedrosa. Marquez, who did 107 laps on Day 2 and is the only other rider in the illustrious 1:28 club, did a best of 1:28.843 as he prepares for his title defence – with another impressive 96-lap workload completed. Pedrosa, who was ill on Day 2 and only went out on track for the afternoon, was back on form on Day 3 and put in 65 laps with a quickest effort of 1:29.033, just missing the 1:28s and slotting into P3 on both Day 3 and combined timesheets.

Maverick Viñales - 1st 1'28.549 / 101 LAPS
"It was a very positive test for us. We came here to try many items and now we got things clear and we already know which set-up we can start using in Qatar. We did a lot of work and I'm happy about that. Today we concentrated mainly on the race pace and I'm satisfied, but we're still able to improve. We didn't decide on the fairing yet, it's still totally open, you never know."

The fastest rookie on Days 1 and 2 kept his crown on the third and final day of testing, as Jonas Folger (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) shot up into P4. The German, who did an incredible 1:29.042, also suffered a crash but remained just ahead of 2016 Australian GP winner Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda). Folger’s teammate, two-time Moto2™ World Champion Johann Zarco, ended the #AusTest P15 on combined times with a 1:29.670.

With Crutchlow locking out the top five, another impressive rookie was hot on the Brit’s tail: Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar). Beating new teammate Andrea Iannone on the timesheets on Day 2 and repeating the feat on Day 3, Rins put in a 1:29.103 to end up only 0.002 off the number 35 on the combined timesheets – despite a small crash. “Maniac” Iannone ended up P13 overall and twelfth on Day 3, completing 77 laps in the final session with a best of 1:29.547.

Seventh and eighth was a Ducati Team lockout. Andrea Dovizioso and Jorge Lorenzo were separated by less than a tenth, and both completed over 70 laps. “DesmoDovi” is on test duty for the team, with “Spartan” Lorenzo’s focus more angled at adapting to the Desmosedici. The Italian’s best was a 1:29.248, with the Spaniard just behind on a 1:29.342.

Local hero Jack Miller (Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS) was the next man up, with the Australian impressing once again after proving a constant force to be reckoned with in the top ten. 2016 Assen winner Miller did a best of 1:29.358 to line up just behind five-time World Champion Lorenzo, flying the EG0,0 Marc VDS flag alone at his home track until injured teammate Tito Rabat hopes to get back down to work at the Qatar test.

Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) was another who impressed, taking P6 on Day 2 and locking out the top ten on combined times. The Spaniard, whose best lap was a 1:29.361, put in 65 laps on Day 3 for the Noale factory, with rookie teammate Sam Lowes adding another 57. Lowes’ best was a 1:30.200.

Espargaro’s compatriot Alvaro Bautista (Pull&Bear Aspar Team) was one of the few riders to not improve on Day 3, but his time from the second session is enough to keep him P11 on the combined timesheets – just ahead of Valentino Rossi. Former 125 World Champion Bautista’s best was a 1:29.411.

Octo Pramac Racing’s Danilo Petrucci was the final rider in the top fifteen, taking P14 overall – just ahead of Zarco. The Italian, on the GP17 Desmosedici, did a 1:29.615 to end the Australian test just over a second off the best lap by Viñales.
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing made a huge leap up in laptime on the third and final day at Phillip Island. Both riders Pol Espargaro and Bradley Smith put in laps under the 1:30 barrier, with the Spaniard’s best a 1:29.857 and the Brit’s a 1:29.978. Both within a second and a half of P1, the timesheets bode well for the Austrian factory as the road to Qatar gets shorter.
Next up is Losail International Circuit for another test – the last – from the 10th to 12th of March, before the lights go out at the same venue later in the month and 2017 hits the gas.

First GP winner, the 1949 AJS Porcupine E90The most recent winning bike in the premier class to join the first – from 1949 –
in a lap of the Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana

Nov 12th 2016 - The most recent winning bike in the premier class to join the first – from 1949 – in a lap of the Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana. In an incredible one-off event to mark the end of the 25th anniversary celebrating the collaboration between the FIM, Dorna, the MSMA and IRTA, Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) will be joined by the AJS Porcupine E90 – the winning bike of the first 500cc World Championship in 1949 - in a special lap of honour at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo after MotoGP Warm Up. Sammy Miller will ride alongside Marc Marquez on the legendary machine that won the first ever World Championship.

Living legend Miller is an eleven-time British Trials Champion, twice European Trials Champion, and a multiple World Championship podium finisher. The Northern Irishman now presides over one of the biggest collections of motorcycles in the world in the Sammy Miller Museum – the home of the AJS Porcupine E90.

The Honda RC213V ridden by Marquez will share the lap of honour with the bike taken to that historic first premier class title by Leslie Graham in 1949, proving the perfect final piece in both a history-making 2016 season and the 25th anniversary celebrations - bringing together the first and the most recent winning motorcycles in the premier class of Grand Prix racing.

We're Back! Riding Edelweiss Motorcycle Tour - From Paris to Omaha, France
Versailles, France, August 2016 - How we spent our summer vacation! On the exciting Edelweiss Bike Travel 2016 Paris to Omaha Beach 10-day motorcycle tour across western France visiting the histroric battle sites of World War II where editor Jim Ginatsis father, B26 bomber pilot Capt. James Gianatsi played a pivital role in te D-say invasion and liberating France. We rode 2-up two-up with awesome FastDates.com SBK World Superbike Calendar Kitten Kaustin "Kaussie" Rose in a story for the FastDates.com Website. Our bike of choice would be the newly introduced BMW R 1000 XR Sport Tourer, based on the potent BMW R 1000 RR Superbike. For the Complete Story Click on the Photos or Check Out the Complete Story Here

KTM Unveils Its New MotoGP Bike to Race in 2017August 2016 - The Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, at the Austrian round of MotoGP Championsgip, saw KTM officially present its MotoGP project, the KTM RC16. There had been months of testing, with press releases and photos issued. There had been KTM's participation in the private MotoGP test at the Red Bull Ring in July, alongside the rest of the MotoGP teams. But at the Austrian GP, the fans and media got their first chance to see the bike close up.

There are few surprises: 1000cc V4 engine, using pneumatic valves, housed in a tubular steel trellis frame and an aluminum swing arm. Suspension is by WP, while brakes are by Brembo, and exhaust by Akrapovic. Electronics are the spec MotoGP Magneti Marelli ECU.

Big Horsepower Numbers
Really interesting are the numbers for maximum engine revs and horsepower. Like all official numbers on values such as torque, horsepower, and revs, they are not to be trusted, but these both seem highly inaccurate. KTM claims the RC16 makes 250hp. It certainly makes that, and probably 10% more, given that most MotoGP engines are believed to make somewhere between 260 and 275 horsepower.

Reports from the track said that the KTM was not short of top speed, though test rider Mika Kallio told a group of reporters that he believed they were still down a little on the Ducati. "On the engine side, we are on the good level," the Finnish test rider told us. "There is still room to improve, at the moment the Ducati is still the fastest bike on the straight, so we are not there, but we are close to the other bikes." Those who saw the speeds through the speed traps reported KTM as being very fast indeed, though no one would be drawn into revealing actual speeds.

19,000 RPM?!
Where does that horsepower come from? On the corporate blog, KTM report the maximum revs as being 19,000 RPM. If that number is accurate, it is insanely high: MotoGP adopted the engine bore limit of 81mm precisely to limit engine speeds, after the manufacturers rejected a mandatory rev limit. Conventional engineering wisdom had it that reliable engines would not be able to rev much above 16,000 RPM, as engine speeds above that would place too much stress on pistons and conrods, causing them to fall apart. A mean piston speed (MPS) (link is external) of 26 m/s was believed to be a fairly firm limit.

That has not turned out to be the case. The bikes were soon revving well up towards 17,000 RPM, and making further inroads into the laws of physics. According to our research, the Ducatis can rev to 18,000 RPM, the Hondas to 17,750 RPM, the Yamahas to 17,250 RPM (with satellite bikes having engine limits set several hundred RPM below the max revs of the factory machines). Ducati was already achieving an MPS of 29.1 m/s, a seemingly impossibly high number. If KTM really are revving to 19,000 RPM, that would be an MPS of 30.7 m/s, which is up in drag engine territory. Dragsters have to cover around 1200 meters between engine rebuilds. MotoGP bikes have to hang together for close to 2000 kilometers.

How do KTM – or Ducati, Honda, and Yamaha, for that matter – achieve such engine speeds? MPS – mean piston speed – is a rough approximation, but it is not an accurate reflection of the stresses placed on the engine. What matters is the amount of acceleration and deceleration which the piston and connecting rod undergo as they slow down for bottom and top dead center, then speed up again towards the middle of the stroke. The weight of components such as pistons, wrist pins and conrods is a factor here, as force is acceleration times mass, and force is stress.

Clearly, the factories are working to find clever ways of reducing stress, which will include lighter weight components, paying close attention to mass distribution, the location of the wrist pin, and smoothing the transition between acceleration and deceleration as much as possible. What they are doing is impossible to know, nor how they are doing it. But the lessons learned will at some point pass down into production vehicles, though we may have to wait a few years to find out.

The KTM V-Four
What we do know about the engine is layout of the engine. Though KTM Technical Director Sebastian Risse was cagey when asked directly what layout the engine used, he tacitly acknowledged it was a 90° V4. When I put it to him that the aim of running the bike without a balance shaft had implications for engine design, he replied, "This is true, yes." Not an admission as such, but as close as you might expect from a factory engineer.

The engine firing order is also not yet fixed. When asked whether the engine would have a big bang (cylinders firing together) or screamer (each cylinder firing separately) firing order, Risse answered that KTM had not yet made up their minds. "We are still doing some investigations about this," Risse said. "Especially now with the electronics, there's not just the mechanical firing order, there's more about it, and you can play a lot with it." What he is implying is that although two pistons may reach TDC at the same time, the charges in the cylinders can be ignited a degree or so apart. That can help smooth the power delivery, and reduce the load placed on the crankshaft.

Feb 1st 2107 -
The new-generation Harley-Davidson® flat-track motorcycle isconfirmed to be Harley's only factory race bike entry in 2017, replacing their decades old iconic FXR750. The Harley-Davidson® Screamin’ Eagle® Factory Team is unleashing the XG750R, its first all-new flat track race bike in 44 years, to battle in fierce, adrenaline-filled competition on dirt ovals across the U.S.

Powered by the fuel-injected, liquid-cooled Harley-Davidson Revolution X™ V-Twin engine, the XG750R will be raced by Factory Team rider Davis Fisher on the AMA Pro Harley-Davidson GNC1 presented by Vance & Hines flat track series. The new XG750R motorcycle is strictly for race competition and will not be offered for sale at this time.

The new flat tracker is powered by the 750cc Revolution X™ V-Twin engine designed for the Harley-Davidson Street® 750, a motorcycle built for maximum urban maneuverability with rebellious Dark Custom™ attitude. Tuned for the track, this modified Revolution X engine will power the new XG750R in the extreme heat of competition as it fights to be first to the finish line.

The race-modified Revolution X engine and a racing frame for the XG750R were developed by Vance & Hines Motorsports. Vance & Hines also is the partner for the factory Harley-Davidson® Screamin’ Eagle®/Vance & Hines drag racing program where V-Rod® motorcycles have won eight of the past 12 NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle drag racing championships.

“After decades of flat-track racing success behind the Harley-Davidson XR750 flat track motorcycle, we knew it was time to develop the next-generation Harley-Davidson to compete in one of the best spectator racing sports out there today,” said Kris Schoonover, Harley-Davidson racing manager. Fisher, in his first season racing with the Harley-Davidson Screamin’ Eagle Factory Team and a rookie on the GNC1 series, will be the first racer aboard the XG750R. The 18-year-old racer from Warren, Ore., won the 2015 AMA Pro GNC2 championship.

“We wanted a young rider with plenty of raw ability for the XG750R program, and Davis proved himself in the GNC2 class,” said Schoonover. “We are excited to have the opportunity to bring an emerging talent like Davis up to the GNC1 series to develop the new bike alongside an experienced champion like Brad Baker.”

Harley-Davidson Screamin’ Eagle Factory Team rider Brad Baker, 23 years old and the 2013 AMA Pro Grand National Champion, will continue to race aboard the proven Harley-Davidson XR750 motorcycle while Fisher races the XG750R through its developmental stage.

At the May 29th 2016 Springfield Mile, H-D factory rider Davis Fisher finished 8th on the new Harley XG750R, behind behind a slew of Kawasaki Ninja 650 in-line twins, and 9 seconds down behind podium finishers factory Harley Rider Brad Baker in 3rd on the old XR750, privateer Jared Mees also on an XR750, with Bryan Smith on a Kawasaki Ninja 650 taking the race win. The more advanced design of the 4-valve DOHC Kawasaki engine proving highly competitive despiteits smaller displacement.

“The XG750R has shown great potential in testing and the first few races this season,” said Schoonover. “But as with any new racing motorcycle, there will be work to do. We’re excited to continue testing the XG750R in real world competition, and as we make our way through the season, we will evaluate the performance of the bike and our factory riders to see if Baker might switch to the new bike.”

Check Harley-Davidson.com for a full listing of this season’s races; also follow Harley-Davidson on Facebook for racing updates.

Now in the Calendar Bike Garage... The World's Coolest Naked Ducati!
Beauitful FastDates.com Calendar Kitten Sara takes us for a ride on the world's most exotic and expensive Ducati streetbike
ever - a $110,000 Vyrus NCR 983 Superleggera in the Calendar Bike Garage and in Members Corner.

Fast Dates Calendar Celebrates 22 years of SBK World Superbike in America
California, USA, July 17-20th 2016 - For the 22nd year since SBK World Superbike first came to America at Laguna Seca Raceway in 1995, the FastDates.com Calendars and myself, producer / photographer Jim Gianatsis were excited to continue
our ongoing association with SBK World Superbike and the UmbrellaGirlsUSA.com to bring 2 more beautiful FastDates.com Calendar Kittens; Kaustin Lanae and Alissa Bourne to shoot with me at the 2016 Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca United States SBK World Superbike and AMA National race weekend July 8-10th. There they served as the official SBK Podium Girls and helped me shoot the next Fast Dates World & AMA Superbike Calendar. Then, two weekends later they both would work the
26th annual LA Calendar Motorcycle Show and Calendar shoot in Los Angeles on July 23-24th. Continued Here

From the left: Builder Hirokai Takai, Calendar Show producer Jim Gianatsis, Calendar Kitten Kaustin Rose, Best of Show winner Yuichiti Yoshizkwa, Kittens Alissa Bourne and Daria Dali.
We Have a Winner! Yuichiti Yoshizkwa takes 2016 LA Calendar Motorcycle Best of Show Calabasas, CA, July 23rd, 2016 - Yuichiti Yoshizkwa / Custom Works Zou, flew his bike in from Japan to take Best of Show at the 2016 LA Calendar Motorcycle Show. This was the 5th year in a row that Asian Builders had claimed the top spot at America's premier custom motorcyce show with their unique had craft builds. Yuichiti's Cafe Racer themed bike features a front swingarm suspension with its Amrican V-Twin replica Shovel Head fed by a exhaust driver turbocharger!

The Official SBK
2016-2017 YearbookThese SBK Yearbooks are the Best Books Ever about World Superbike. They feature wesome color photography of the riders, bike and racing action. The feature a deailed revue of the past season in pictures and stactics, awith a detailed look at the bikes and riders.

Plus a technical look data all the bikes, a preview of the upcoming season's Championship!
We buy this every year ourselves and highly recommend it!

The Official SBK
2015-2016 Yearbook

2014-2015 Yearbook

SBK World Superbike Video Game

Official Print Media Partner

FIM Superbike & Supersport World Championships Changes to the Regulations for 2017
In an attempt to make the racing even more exciting between the Two Races per Class on a WSBK Race Weekend,
Saturday's Superpole Results WILL NOT be used for both Stary Line Grid Positions on Saturday and Sunday. Rather for Sunday's 2nd Race of the Weekend, the Front 3 Grid Row Positions will be reversedbased on Saturday;s Race Finishes, so the winning riders will now have to move up through half the starting gird as described below:

1. The formation of the grid for Race 2 will now be decided following race results from Saturday. Superpole results will continue to define starting positions for riders who finished in 10th position or lower, however the front of the grid will now be determined on Race One results.

• Top three riders move back to row three and see 1st and 3rd reverse their positions.
• Riders who finished in 4th, 5th and 6th will be promoted to the front row.
• Riders who finished in 7th, 8th and 9th will start from the second row.

Motul Announced as
Title Sponsponsor of
2017-2018 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship
Costa Mesa, CA, OCT. 14 - MotoAmerica has announced the return of Motul as one of its supporting partners with the leading producer of motorcycle lubricants signing on as the class sponsor of the Superbike class for the 2017-2018 MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Race Championship. The class will be known for the next two years as the Motul Superbike class.

"Motul has really stepped up for next year," said three-time 500cc World Champion and MotoAmerica President Wayne Rainey. "Not only are they a supporting partner of our series going forward, but they've also committed to being the class sponsor of our premier Superbike class. Motul is a big sponsor of motorcycle road racing worldwide and we're happy to have them as a part of MotoAmerica. I also have a relationship with them that goes back to 1990 when they were a sponsor of mine during my first World Championship."

"There isn't a better way to support American road racing than being the Superbike class exclusive sponsor, where teams, strategies, and machines are pushed to the limit," said Guillaume Pailleret, President of Motul North America. "It is a wonderful opportunity to be able to showcase our products through our teams, and to have our name as a central piece of MotoAmerica races and events. This event, along with other prestigious FIM-sanctioned races like MotoGP and the Motul FIM Superbike World Championship shape a unique trio of extremely challenging motorcycle events, which Motul sponsors at the top level. We couldn't possibly be prouder of being a part of the MotoAmerica adventure."

The 10-round 2017 MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Race series is set to kick-off at the Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas, April 20-23.

MotoAmerica Announces Double Header race Weekends in 2017, Expanded 10 Round Schedule
Costa Mesa, CA, OCT. 12 - MotoAmerica has announced that its Superbike doubleheaders will now be run on separate days during the 2017 MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Race Championship with Superbike race one scheduled for Saturday afternoon followed by race two on Sunday afternoon.

"With World Superbike changing to the two-day Superbike race format, it was something that was always of interest to us," said MotoAmerica partner Chuck Aksland. "It was good to watch them do it for a year and get their feedback, which was positive on many fronts. They had increased Saturday attendance and better television viewership, among other things. We also had many requests from our fan base to make the change. Obviously, the two-day format was something that has been done here in previous years, but with our move to the World Superbike one-bike rule for 2017, it became more of a necessity as it gives the teams some flexibility and breathing space in the preparation from race to race."

At the stand-alone MotoAmerica races, Superbike race one will be held on Saturday afternoon with Sunday's race two on a similar schedule with a tentative 3:15 p.m. start time. The other classes (Supersport/Superstock 600 and KTM RC Cup) will continue to run the two-day format as they have in the first two seasons of MotoAmerica. The schedule will vary somewhat when MotoAmerica joins MotoGP at the Circuit of The Americas and World Superbike at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

"I like the two-day format for our races," said two-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion Cameron Beaubier. "I've always liked the idea of being able to sleep on the results from Saturday and come back Sunday with some fresh ideas for improvement. Even if your results are good on Saturday, it's nice to have some time before race two because you can always make things better and go faster. I also think the fans like having a Superbike race on both days so they can make a weekend out of it."

In addition to the schedule change, MotoAmerica has also announced that the qualifying procedure for the Superbike class has also changed. Superpole will now consist of just one 15-minute session featuring the 12 fastest riders from Superbike Practice 1 and 2. Superbike Practice 3 will not qualify riders to the Superpole session.

The 10-round 2017 MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Race series is set to kick-off at the Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas, April 20-23.

Sept 22nd 2016 - Two Aprilia RSV4 bikes will be on the track in the 2017 World Superbike Championship with the Milwaukee Aprilia Racing Team colours.
This is a two-year contract, so it will also be valid for 2018.

The agreement specifies that technical material and related direct assistance and support will be provided by Aprilia Racing, including bike development, which classifies Milwaukee as a Supported Factory Team.

This means that Aprilia Racing - the Piaggio Group racing department and technological point of excellence in the Italian motorcycle industry - is confirming its high level presence in the premier competition for factory derivative bikes, alongside its important efforts in MotoGP.

The goal is to compete at top levels in World SBK in order to emphasize the competitiveness of the Aprilia RSV4, capable of taking no less than seven World Titles (three Rider and four Manufacturer) between 2010 and 2014, proving to be the most victorious bike in recent WSBK history.

The result of a project intended to create a true racing bike that any enthusiast could have, the RSV4 astonished from its rookie season, winning a race in its maiden year and then racking up repeated championship wins in both the Manufacturer and Rider competitions (twice with Max Biaggi and once with Sylvain Guintoli). All this while the street version - obviously also characterized by an exclusive narrow 1.0 litre V4 - continued to win comparative reviews year after year with the best competitors in the world, both European and Japanese.

The team run by Shaun Muir, which boasts two British titles, will be able to count on a top shelf rider lineup: in addition to the 2015 Superstock Champion Lorenzo Savadori, who quickly drew attention this year in his rookie World Superbike season, Northern Irishman Eugene Laverty will be back in WSBK, 2013 runner up astride none other than an Aprilia RSV4.

Romano Albesiano - Aprilia Racing Manager
"Shaun Muir's team, after making a good name for themselves in the British championship, wants to get to the top of a world category. Our agreement includes, in addition to providing bikes and materials, support from Aprilia Racing personnel to manage and develop the RSV4, within a Factory Support type relationship.
The birth of the Milwaukee Aprilia Racing Team also marks Eugene Laverty's return to WSBK, a rider who we know well and whose professional and personal qualities have our utmost respect. He will have Lorenzo Savadori working alongside him, a young rider who has been part of our sports project for two seasons in which he won the Superstock 1000 title first and then drew attention in WSBK with an extremely positive rookie year".

Shaun Muir - SMR General Manager - "For SMR, collaboration with Aprilia Racing for 2017 and 2018 means a real chance to fight for the win. Aprilia has a strong and victorious history in World Superbike and we are determined to continue on the same path. Having Eugene and Lorenzo on board makes this a dream team. Without a doubt, Eugene is coming back to WSBK for one reason only - to win. Lorenzo, on the other hand, is the fastest rookie and a sure protagonist. I wish to thank Milwaukee, Gulf and all of the partners who are supporting our project".

Eugene Laverty - "I'm excited to return to Superbike with Aprilia and the RSV4, a bike with which I took ten wins and second place overall in the championship. I hope to be able to pick up where I left off with those results, thanks to the support of Aprilia and a fantastic team like Shaun Muir's. Everything is in place for us to be competitive straight away".

Lorenzo Savadori - "I am very happy to continue my adventure in World Superbike with Aprilia. This is another chance to achieve great results, with one more year of experience on the RSV4 for me. In a demanding rookie season I was already able to express a good performance level, learning a lot, both about race management and working in the garage, but I do not want to stop here. We will definitely be highly motivated at the start, with an ambitious project and a great desire to do well".

Jason Chiswell - Vice President of Marketing Milwaukee Tools
"At Milwaukee Power tools our vision is always to win and that same mentality is shared with the SMR team. We see the next year with Aprilia as being an exciting and a new winning chapter in our World Superbike program”.

Frank Rutten - Vice President of Gulf Oil International- "As the world’s fastest growing oil brand we are very excited by the prospect of moving forwards with what we believe will be one of the most rapid teams in SBK next year. We have been extremely impressed by the way SMR has entered the World Superbike arena. They are one of the best organized and most professional outfits in the paddock and we have developed an excellent working relationship with both them and the team’s title sponsor, Milwaukee Tools.

We are very excited by the prospect of moving forwards with them as team sponsor and official lubricant partners”.

Honda WorldSBK Team signs Stefan Bradl for the 2017 WorldSBK season
August 2nd 2016 -The Honda WorldSBK Team is pleased to announce the signing of 26-year-old Stefan Bradl from Germany for the 2017 FIM Superbike World Championship. Crowned Moto2 World Champion in 2011, Bradl will join former MotoGP™ Champion Nicky Hayden to complete a stellar line-up for Honda next season.

Despite his young age, Bradl has a wealth of experience at international level. Since his 125cc debut in 2005, he has collected nineteen podium finishes and seven wins across all Grand Prix classes. After winning the Moto2 World Championship in 2011, Stefan made his MotoGP debut with the LCR Honda Team in 2012 where his best result was a second-place finish at Laguna Seca in 2013.

The Honda WorldSBK Team would like to thank Michael van der Mark for his outstanding efforts and title-winning contribution during his tenure as a Honda rider. The team will maintain its unconditional support for Michael for the remainder of the season, with the goal of achieving the best possible results.

The Honda WorldSBK Team is pleased to confirm that its riders for the 2017 season will be Nicky Hayden and Stefan Bradl.

Ducati team on track in 2017 with Chaz Davies and Marco Melandri
The Aruba.it Racing - Bologna, Italy, July 28th - The Aruba.it Racing - Ducati team finalized its line-up for the 2017 WorldSBK Championship, confirming Chaz Davies and signing an agreement with Marco Melandri. Chaz and Marco have already been teammates in the past with great results, their common goal is to fight for the victory at each round and aim at the Riders’ and Manufacturers’ world titles.

Chaz Davies, 29, is currently in the middle of his third season with Ducati and, thus far, has secured 9 wins and 32 podiums overall on the Panigale R, showing constant progress and winning the hearts of many Ducati fans.

“I’m extremely happy to renew my professional relationship with Ducati for two more seasons,” Davies said. “The continuity element is really important in our job, and so far we’ve made great strides and got progressively closer to our goal. Now we can fight for the win practically on every track, and I’m confident we can make further improvements. Moreover, to race for Ducati is something special: everything is done with heart and passion, you really feel part of a family and have a direct connection between the production and racing. It’s going to be exciting.”

Thirty-four-year-old Melandri, on the other hand, will return to the production-based series, where he has claimed 19 wins and 49 overall podiums in 100 races.

“I’m really excited to come back to racing, it’s a dream come true,” Melandri stated. “I always said I was only interested in a top bike and top team, and I could not have asked for more. I kept following WorldSBK closely, and I’m confident the Panigale R can perfectly suit my riding style. We’ll just have to take one step at a time, but the potential is surely high. I know it won’t be easy to get back up to speed, but I have all the time to step on the bike, do laps and make sure I’m ready for the first test: to this end, I will skip the holidays to train on a street version of the Panigale R.”

The 2016 championship marks Davide Giugliano’s last season within the Aruba.it Racing - Ducati team. In three years with the squad, the Italian rider has shown great speed and resilience, taking 10 podiums so far despite being sidelined for most of 2015 with two serious injuries. Ducati and Aruba.it would like to thank Davide for his efforts, wishing him all the best for his future career and reiterating their commitment to give him the best possible tools to achieve his first WorldSBK win.

“I had a great time with Ducati,” said Giugliano. “I learned a lot and was given a wealth of experience to draw upon, which is really important for a young rider. We also faced some difficult times, especially last year when I was badly injured, but we’ve always stayed close. We decided to take different paths, but our relationship remains strong: I’m still young, so we may rejoin forces in the future. I sincerely wish Melandri the best and would like to thank everyone in Ducati, especially Paolo Ciabatti, and Aruba.it for all their support. It’s been a great journey, which has yielded great results despite the fact that we would have liked to do more, but I’ll give my best until the end of the season to achieve bigger goals.”

Luigi Dall'Igna, Ducati Corse General Manager: “Chaz Davies has become a key member of the Ducati family, so we’re happy to announce that he will ride with us for two more years. Chaz has shown great progress and we’re confident he can take our bike to even higher grounds. In 2017, he will ride alongside Marco Melandri, who took upon the challenge with great enthusiasm. Marco is a talented rider, he has already achieved prestigious results in WorldSBK and we’re confident that the year spent without racing has not undermined his qualities. We’re obviously sad for Davide Giugliano, who will part ways with us at the end of the year, and we wish him nothing but the best. Davide proved to have great competitiveness, taking many podiums and fastest laps, and has given a crucial input towards the development of the WorldSBK-spec Panigale R. We would like to thank him and guarantee we will give him all our support until the last race to help him achieve the results he deserves.”

Stefano Cecconi, Aruba S.p.A. CEO and Team Principal: “Given that the riders’ choice is among the most important and difficult to make, as the available seats are always less than what we would ideally offer, we had to resort to our ambition and courage while taking all the necessary time to finalize the 2017 line-up. Chaz has shown he can fight for the victory each round. Davide is a young and fast rider, who can become even more competitive, so I hope it’s a ‘see you again’ and not a ‘farewell’ between us. Marco’s resume speaks for itself and puts more pressure, at any rate positive, on us: we want to help him achieve the result that, surely not due to a lack in talent, has eluded him in WorldSBK so far.”

The Devil Made Us Do It!
Testing the Ducati Diavel in Italy

New BMW HP4 Superbike

High Speed - the Movie
The best motorcycle racing movie ever made! Filmed on location at the World Superbike races , this an exciting romantic drama staring beautiful British actress Sienna Miller.